Yin Yoga & Meditation Retreat: Supporting the Winter-Spring Transition [FULL]

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
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Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
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Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

This retreat is fully booked. To inquire about being added to the waiting list, please reach out to Kristin Fiore at kristin@downdogyogacenter.com

The Magic of Dreams: A Study of the Transcendent Function

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
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GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

In the throes of his Red Book period, Jung wrote an essay on what he called the Transcendent Function (1916) in which he laid out the workings of the unconscious, the transformative energy in symbols, and the means of accessing such energy -- namely the dream. Using real life examples drawn from his newly published book, “My Journey to Ironman: Endurance Sports as a Means of Individuation,” Dr.

Goodbye to Sweet Minna

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
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Staff Department
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

Last night we bade an unexpected farewell to Minna, the gentle pony who shared the barn and paddock near Tree of Life with Puck, the goat. 

After working at a local YMCA camp as a trail pony, she spent her retirement years at GilChrist, greeting guests and graciously accepting treats offered over the fence. Her sweet presence dwelled on the grounds and overlooked the labyrinth as guests walked their prayers. She will be deeply missed by our staff who cared for her, by guests who savored the creaturely interaction, and surely by Puck, who pestered her amiably and tirelessly.

Deep Rest Retreat Update

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
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Staff Department
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GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

Dear friends of GilChrist,

Love in Action: Standing with the LGBTQ Community

Member for

12 years 11 months
Photo
Amy Ferguson
Cover Photo
Book stack
First Name
Amy
Last Name
Ferguson
Biography

I am part of a web of writers, editors, videographers, communicators, and ambassadors who help shine a light on how we can all contribute to a loving world. For me this comes through in three simple words: reveal, serve, and inspire. It means researching, listening, sleuthing, writing, connecting, and conspiring for good. 

Our teachers in this work are numerous. I have learned so much from others' fine "translations" of the need for love in our world--epidemiologists, neuroscientists, and public health specialists, artists, clergy, and various lifelong practitioners of compassion--who carry this work into realms of our social life like schools, prisons, and law enforcement circles.

My background is deep in the humanities, and my family tree is of full Catholics (faithful and lapsed), skeptics, and librarians. I have a master's degree in literature and am drawn to volunteer with arts-related organizations and projects. 


 

Quote
Quote

“We are all born with 200 bad poems in us.”  —Billy Collins

Job Title
Internal Communications Officer
Cover Caption
Selections from the We the People Book Club.
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Email
aferguson@fetzer.org

What does a loving world look like, and what is our part in creating the conditions for that world as it comes into being? This is a living question in our organization. Most recently, it has been tested in our discernment about the Fetzer Institute’s relationship with Southwest Michigan First.

Activating Love in Our Home Community

Member for

12 years 11 months
Photo
Amy Ferguson
Cover Photo
Book stack
First Name
Amy
Last Name
Ferguson
Biography

I am part of a web of writers, editors, videographers, communicators, and ambassadors who help shine a light on how we can all contribute to a loving world. For me this comes through in three simple words: reveal, serve, and inspire. It means researching, listening, sleuthing, writing, connecting, and conspiring for good. 

Our teachers in this work are numerous. I have learned so much from others' fine "translations" of the need for love in our world--epidemiologists, neuroscientists, and public health specialists, artists, clergy, and various lifelong practitioners of compassion--who carry this work into realms of our social life like schools, prisons, and law enforcement circles.

My background is deep in the humanities, and my family tree is of full Catholics (faithful and lapsed), skeptics, and librarians. I have a master's degree in literature and am drawn to volunteer with arts-related organizations and projects. 


 

Quote
Quote

“We are all born with 200 bad poems in us.”  —Billy Collins

Job Title
Internal Communications Officer
Cover Caption
Selections from the We the People Book Club.
Engagement Results Display
On
Staff Department
Email
aferguson@fetzer.org

The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.   —Coretta Scott King

Home is where the heart is. It’s a cliché but it also holds a lot of truth. For John Fetzer, Kalamazoo was home for most of his life. It is where he built his business, put down roots, and ultimately created the Institute that bears his name and advances his legacy. It is in this spirit that we are honored and excited to be turning our attention to our own backyard of Southwest Michigan. 

An Anniversary Blessing from the GilChrist Staff

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
Engagement Results Display
Off
Staff Department
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

What's Healing About Taking Pictures?

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
Engagement Results Display
Off
Staff Department
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

“Paying attention is a form of reciprocity with the living world, receiving the gifts with open eyes and open heart.”

—Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist team during the month of October, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary

Walking with the Dragonflies

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
Engagement Results Display
Off
Staff Department
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

This piece is part of a series offered by the GilChrist community during the month of October about practices of healing, in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.

The Sounds of GilChrist

Member for

5 years 7 months
Photo
Cover Photo
bergamot blooms in a summer field
First Name
Deborah
Last Name
Haak-Frost
Biography

If you make a reservation for a retreat at GilChrist, you will most likely see my name on the email signature, talk with me on the phone, or see my face when you arrive. I’ve always delighted in being able to connect people with the natural world in ways that allow them to experience their environment deeply and meaningfully. My undergraduate degree in psychology and environmental studies paved the way for this beautiful integration of two passions of mine. The principles of permaculture – earth care, people care, and fair share – also shape my approach to my work. Making rest and retreat more accessible for all is something I try to work toward.

I also do a lot of the behind-the-scenes logistics and administrative work at GilChrist: working with group retreat facilitators, handling billing, managing social media, keeping the website up to date, cataloging the library, and also pitching in with cabin cleaning and feeding the goats.

When I’m not at work, you can find me volunteering in my Three Rivers community, cooking and baking in my kitchen, taking in thought-provoking television and movies with my husband, or daydreaming about grand garden plans for my backyard.

Job Title
Caretaker for Community Engagement
Cover Caption
Bergamot blooms in this summer view from the GilChrist office
Engagement Results Display
Off
Staff Department
Department or Org
GilChrist
Email
dhaak@fetzer.org

Thanks to Jonathan Brandt, who captured this collection of sounds at GilChrist in the summer of 2016, and offers them in honor of GilChrist’s 25th anniversary on October 15.